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The strange inspiration behind 'Stacy's Mom' by Fountains of Wayne

Home> Entertainment

Published 13:01 31 Dec 2022 GMT

The strange inspiration behind 'Stacy's Mom' by Fountains of Wayne

You'd think it would be pretty straightforward, but it's a tad weirder than you might expect

Jake Massey

Jake Massey

If you're of a certain age, you're bound to remember 'Stacy's Mom' - and the music video, of course.

The pop rock banger is nearly 20 years old, having first been released in May 2003.

It became Fountains of Wayne's biggest hit, so the band owe a lot to Stacy's Mom - or should I say, the bassist's grandmother.

Broadly speaking, the song is evidently about that period in your adolescence when you begin to feel powerful and confusing urges that weren't there during childhood.

Suddenly, you can find yourself feeling oddly attracted to classmates, mums, and even grandmas.

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In an interview with MTV back in 2003, late bassist Adam Schlesinger explained the story behind the track.

"It's sort of about that period when you're first hitting puberty and suddenly everybody of the opposite sex is strangely attractive," he said.

"It's a combination of sexual awakening and limited contact with a large number of people. It's the kids at school and whoever else happens to be in your life."

Rachel Hunter starred in the video.
YouTube/Fountains of Wayne

While much of the song's huge success was undoubtedly due to the relatability of this theme, there was a specific instance which helped to inspire the track.

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Schlesinger said: "One of my best friends, when we were maybe 11 or 12, came to me and announced that he thought my grandmother was hot.

"And I said, 'Hey, you're stepping over the line,' but at that point in life, I wouldn't put it past anyone."

Schlesinger passed away in April 2020 after being diagnosed with Covid-19. The award-winning singer-songwriter was 52.

He earned an Oscar nomination in 1997 for writing the title track on That Thing You Do!, a musical comedy directed by Tom Hanks.

We could all relate.
YouTube/Fountains of Wayne

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Hanks paid tribute on Twitter and said he would not have launched his Playtone record label and production company without Schlesinger's help.

"He was a One-der," Hanks said. "Lost him to Covid-19. Terribly sad today. Hanx."

Aline Brosh McKenna co-created TV musical comedy-drama Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, which Schlesinger wrote songs for.

She paid tribute on Twitter, saying she had known Schlesinger since the early 1990s.

She said: "Adam was so funny, so kind, so opinionated, so clever, so passionate. We worked together and agreed and disagreed and rejoiced and bemoaned and celebrated and it felt extra sweet for me because I'd known him so long.

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"I love that guy. I love all the memories."

One of the songwriter's friends fancied his grandma.
YouTube/Fountains of Wayne

Musicians who had worked with Schlesinger also paid tribute.

Singer-songwriter Nicole Atkins said he was 'really sweet and beyond talented'.

She tweeted: "I'm heartbroken to hear about Adam Schlesinger's passing. He was one of the 1st people I ever co-wrote a song with and we went on the road with Fountains of Wayne back in the day.

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"He was really sweet and beyond talented. My heart goes out to his family and band mates."

Featured Image Credit: YouTube/Fountains of Wayne

Topics: Music, Weird

Jake Massey
Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

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@jakesmassey

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